Tail gate for truck bodies



Aug. 7, 1951 E. T. NEWELL TAIL GATE FOR TRUCK BODIES Filed June 6, 1949 INVENTOR. EDWARD T, NEWELL ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE TAIL GATE FOR TRUCK BODIES Edward T. Nowell, Portland, Oreg. Application June 6, 1 949, Serial No. 97,435

Claims. (01. 29651) This invention relates to improvements in tail gates for truck bodies and is particularly adapted to truck bodies delivering sand, rock, gravel and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary cut-01f gate in connection with the regular tail gate that will cut off part of the flow of rock or gravel being dumped on driveways and the like.

When applying rock to driveways where two tracks are being graveled without graveling the space between said tracks it becomes necessary to prevent the flow of rock out the middle section of the tail gate of the truck body.

With my new and improved auxiliary shut off gate, I can control the flow of the said rock to the tracks of the driveway, as well as permitting the full width of spread of rock when desired from the truck body.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary rear view of a truck having my new and improved auxiliary shut off gate mounted thereon, the same being shown in folded or inactive position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is the same as Figure 2, except that the auxiliary cut off gate is in operation blocking the discharge of gravel or rock midway the width of the body.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

l is a standard truck body as ordinarily used for delivering rock, gravel and the like, having the usual tail or end gate 2 pivotally secured to the body I at 3 and having the regular locking hooks 4 for holding the same closed.

My invention consists of mounting a secondary cut-ofi gate 5 to the end gate 2, preferably by the cross shaft 6, which is fixedly secured at 'l to the reenforcing members, 8 of the said end gate. A pair of arm 9 are journalled to the cross shaft 6 at H] at their upper ends and have the gate 5 pivotally mounted at their lower ends at H, said bar being connected together by a reenforcing cross member [2 to assist in insuring rigidity of the same, and also to limit the movement of the gate 5 as best illustrated at [3, Figure 3.

When my new and improved auxiliary gate is not in use, it is folded in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 against the end gate 2, and is held thereagainst by the action of the springs I4 holding the said secondary gate assembly tightly against the tail gate 2.

When it is desired to dump the gravel or rock on driveway strips the gate 5 is pulled away from the end gate 2 and lowered to the position illustrated in Figure 3 before the tail gate 2 is opened. I have provided lugs I5 fixedly secured to the frame N5 of the body adapted to receive the lugs I! secured to the secondary gate 5, both of the same being secured together by a pin l8. When the gate 2 is allowed to open to the position shown in Figure 3, the rock or gravel will be permitted to flow therethrough on either side of the gate 5 directly on the roadway strips being rocked or graveled.

It may be possible in some cases to eliminate the lugs I5 and I1, relying solely on the springs M to maintain the secondary gate 5 against the rear of the body I as shown in Figure 3, or against the end gate as shown in Figures 1 and 2. When a full width of spread of rock or gravel i to be delivered the shut off gate remains in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure as illustrated, as other mechanical equivalents may be substituted still carrying out the objects of m invention.

What I claim is:

1. A tail gate construction comprising a main gate, provided with a transverse rod, a frame including a pair of spaced apart bars pivoted on the transverse rod on the rear face of the main gate, an auxiliary gate pivoted to the lower end of the transverse bars, said auxiliary gate being of less width and less height than the main gate and adapted to be folded up against the rear face of the main gate when not in use, and adapted to be lowered to extend forwardly and fit under the main gate when in use, to prevent dumping of material in the center of the main gate when the latter is in open position, and springs between the bars and the transverse rod to retain the auxiliary gate in closed position when the latter is not in use.

2. A tail gate construction as defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided to secure the free end of the auxiliary gate to a truck when said auxiliary gate is in its lowered position below the main gate.

3. A tail gate construction, comprising a main gate adapted to be pivoted to the rear open end of a truck, an auxiliary gate of less width and height than the main gate, a pair of bars pivotally mounted at their upper ends to the main gate and pivotally mounted at their lower ends to the auxiliary gate, means between the upper ends of the bars and the main gate to hold the auxiliary gate against the main gate when not in use, said auxiliary gate adapted to be lowered to extend forwardly and fit under the main gate when in use to prevent dumping of material in the center of the main gate when the latter is in open position.

4. A tail gate construction, as defined in claim 3, wherein a fiat bar connects the lower ends of the verticaltbarsnto. form a support for. the auxiliary gate when the latter is in lowered position below the main gate.

5. A tail gate construction, as defined in claim 3, wherein the main gate is pivoted at its upper end to the open end of a truck, and theauxiliary 4 the main gate to reciprocate on when the auxiliary gate is in lowered operative positionand in contact with the rear end of the truck.

EDWARD T. NEWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following, references. are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,821,056 Durham Sept. 1, 1931 2,185,030 Lockwood Dec. 26, 1939 2,344,755 Venard Mar. 21, 1944 

